September 04, 2008	Thursday	Ramazan 3, 1429

ISLAMABAD, Sept 3: Police chiefs in the four provinces and the federal capital have sought modern equipment to combat terrorism, sources told Dawn here on Tuesday.

The sources said the police chiefs submitted their requests to the interior ministry last week during a meeting chaired by Adviser to Prime Minister on Interior Rehman Malik.

Besides the adviser and heads of all the police departments, the meeting was attended by officials of the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) and the Pakistan Telecommunica-tion Authority (PTA).

According to the sources, the police have asked for a vast array of equipment, including explosive detectors, distance finders, locators, bugs and hearing devises. They have also sought complete access to the data available with Nadra, PTA, the Excise and Taxation Office (ETO), and the FIA’s Personal Identification Secure Comparison and Evaluation System (PISCES).

At present, the capital police do not have explosive detectors and they just use metal detectors. Similarly, the law enforcers do not have access to the data held by Nadra, PTA and ETO, containing details about people, mobile phones and vehicles, respectively.

The police departments are of the view that after getting access to this information, they will be in a better position to investigate the crime and trace the suspects. This can also help prevent violent activities and arrest the terrorists before they strike.

The sources said the police were also seeking a fleet of vehicles to arrest the terrorists and suspects soon after the identification of their hideouts.

At present, the police investigators ask the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) to help trace and arrest the terrorist, as it was the only institution which had latest equipment. However, the police complain that the ISI’s response to their requests was very slow.

Recently, the investigators have detained a number of terrorists and criminals with the help of cellphone equipment, while some efforts to identify suicide bombers through Nadra record also proved successful.

The sources said the meeting recommended a centralised system to share such information.

A cell should be established under the interior ministry with the representation of all police departments, bomb disposal squad, intelligence agencies, Nadra, PTA and ETO to coordinate efforts during investigation of any terrorist activity, the meeting observed. — Staff Reporter